Sunday, March 18, 2007

2007 National Youth Volunteerism Movement Now Set to Visit Los Angeles, Oakland, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, Portland, Washington, D.C. and New YorkNEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boost Mobile RockCorps (BMRC), the national youth volunteerism movement that since 2005 has motivated more than 16,000 young people to get involved and help their communities, today announced that Chicago and Miami have won its first-ever “Bring BMRC to Your City” online contest.

From Anchorage to Atlanta, young people interested in making a difference in their communities visited www.boostmobilerockcorps.com to share why BMRC should come to their hometown. Now, with more than 25,000 votes cast, Boost Mobile RockCorps will answer this unprecedented call to action by giving young people in Chicago and Miami a chance to earn concert tickets in exchange for volunteering in their communities.

“‘Bring BMRC to Your City’ furthers the impact of the Boost Mobile RockCorps movement by giving young people across America a sense of empowerment by giving back,” said Daryl Butler, director strategic alliances, Boost Mobile. “With the addition of Chicago and Miami to the 2007 BMRC Tour we can motivate even more of our youth to become proactive and productive contributors to their communities.”

Voters in more than 130 cities lobbied to be the next stop on the 2007 BMRC tour. “It is inspiring to know people from all over are so passionate about making this world a better place for themselves and for others,” said Stephen Greene, chief executive officer, RockCorps. “We are thrilled so many people would welcome BMRC to their cities. The response is a testament to the desire of young people to improve their communities and to connect with each other through the power of music. Because of the tremendous response we will be expanding the program to reach even further this year, adding several never before visited cities to the 2007 national tour, including Oakland, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Portland, Oregon.”

The BMRC revolution will travel to 13 markets total this year: Los Angeles, Oakland, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, Portland, Washington, D.C. and New York. The 2007 BMRC movement kicked off in Los Angeles in early February with a diverse roster of volunteer projects and partnerships involving local LA youth that will culminate with the ultra-exclusive concert event at the Kodak Theatre. Major reward concert events are also scheduled to take place at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre on June 9 and New York City’s legendary Radio City Music Hall on October 6.

The effects of BMRC go well beyond the concerts. A recent comparison of BMRC and non-BMRC participants illustrates that close to 80% of BMRC volunteers are likely to volunteer again in the future - without a concert ticket/reward. Additionally, 73% of participants who attended the BMRC concert conveyed it gave them a sense of how powerful volunteer work can be. Music has the power to bring people together, and Boost Mobile RockCorps is channeling this power as a catalyst for making volunteering cool and relevant to today’s youth.

Youth interested in becoming part of the Boost Mobile RockCorps movement can call BMRC at 1-888-ROCK-889, or log onto www.boostmobilerockcorps.com for more information and to register for membership. BMRC members will be notified of volunteer opportunities in their area.

About RockCorps

RockCorps is an organization that harnesses the power of music to inspire volunteerism. Based on the early work of The Greenbucks Foundation, RockCorps was founded in 2003 to affect social change and act as the bridge between communities in need and the young adults who want to make them better. RockCorps’ goals are to introduce volunteerism to teens and young adults, motivate people to volunteer in their community and launch a national movement. The company has formulated a unique blend of music, community and volunteerism to expose young people to simple ways they can proactively contribute to the greater good. The program employs music as an incentive to entice and then funnel volunteers through established non-profit organizations. By completing four hours of community service, each participant receives a ticket to a signature RockCorps event which features performances by some of the hottest names in music. Experience shows that after volunteering once with RockCorps, young people are twice as likely to do it again.

About Boost Mobile

Based in Irvine, California, Boost Mobile is a lifestyle-based telecommunications brand focused on offering premium Pay-As-You-Go wireless phones and services to the youth market. Boost Mobile is dedicated to boosting the lives of today’s young people by contributing to youth development programs. Boost’s community relations efforts, which include Boost Mobile RockCorps, Boost Mobile Ahead of the Game youth basketball camps, support to Big Brothers Big Sisters and Historically Black Colleges and Universities and more, are helping young people enhance their lifestyle and status, and build stronger connections and greater independence. Experience Boost on the Web at www.boostmobile.com.